


A Chance Lost is a Mistake Made

by AlLind



Series: Mistakes Made [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:02:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22818157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlLind/pseuds/AlLind
Summary: Dealing with the aftermaths of his mistakes, Twoie has to explain things to the other Gems, but can he really do so when they start breaking apart because of him? Sequel to A Mistake Made is a Chance Lost.
Relationships: Ruby/Sapphire (Steven Universe)
Series: Mistakes Made [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1640335
Comments: 1
Kudos: 73





	A Chance Lost is a Mistake Made

Garnet stepped off the warp pad, taking a fond look around the beach house as she did so. It had been left untouched since the day they’d first learnt of the true horrors of the Cluster. There was a slight mess over by the couch, the pillows having been squashed, doubtlessly the result of Amethyst and Pearl arguing over what to pack and in the air, there was-

Garnet wrinkled her nose in disgust, it seemed they’d forgotten to empty out the fridge before they’d left, a cake most likely, judging by the smell. Oh well, she supposed Amethyst would be happy at least.

In any case, Garnet had more important things to worry about than messed up sofa’s and cakes that had gone off. The entire reason she’d come here instead of heading right back to the Barn, was that she wanted to check on the Burning Room.

She turned to face the Temple Door, and opened her palms to face it, exposing Ruby and Sapphire’s Gems. The Gems embedded in the Door’s Star Symbol glowed in response, as it opened, the bright light coming from the entrance reflecting off Garnet’s visor as she stepped inside.

The Burning Room was quiet as ever, which was definitely a good sign. Over the millennia, Garnet and the other Crystal Gems had learned the hard way that it was generally a bad idea to not check up on the bubbled Gems, especially after adding a new one to their collection. It was way too easy for even a stray object to accidently compromise a bubble’s integrity, freeing the artefact- usually a corrupted Gem- held within.

Steven had once accidently freed Centipeedle when Garnet had sent him home in a bubble after all, and even before that a shoddily done one made by Amethyst had popped unexpectedly, releasing a bigger than average Gem Monster which had ended up in turn freeing a large percentage of the other bubbled gems. A large percentage that they were still struggling to make up for.

The Great Beach City Stampede of 1873 had been no joke after all- especially not to Pearl who’d been the one to have the misfortune of being the first to open the Temple Door. Though Garnet would confess to enjoying the look on her face when they’d finally managed to pry her out of the ground. Not that she’d ever tell Pearl that, the Gem had only just recently forgiven Amethyst for that mess.

Garnet scanned the room to see if any bubbles were missing, and suddenly found herself freezing in place when she glimpsed a bubble that she was certain hadn’t been there the last time she’d come into the Burning Room. She turned to look at it directly, and gasped in horror when she got a better look at it.

Floating between the corrupted Gems of Ocean Jasper and Biggs, was a bright magenta bubble containing what were unmistakably Gem Shards. And, as much as Garnet wished it wasn’t so, the shards were more than large enough to make out the Gem they’d once made up.

_“Careful, Garnet, your Ruby is showing.”_

_“We **Are** the Crystal Gems!”_

_“Let’s get down to Bismuth!”_

“No.” Garnet whispered, the sound piercing through the otherwise constant silence of the Burning Room as she gazed upon the broken shards of Bismuth. “No, no, no, no.”

If Bismuth’s shards had been bubbled and by that type of bubble in particular, then that meant- No, it was impossible, Garnet refused to believe there was any timeline where he’d be willing to do… that to a Crystal Gem.

Garnet dismissed her visor so her three eyes could take one last look at her fallen comrade. Already she could feel tears welling up in them as sorrow and rage overwhelmed her and she swore on her comrade’s name to get answers.

_“Bismuth.”_

* * *

They’d returned to the Barn in silence, Twoie carrying an unresponsive Peridot in his arms, while Steven was consumed with unspoken questions, and the vague gut instinct that he might not want to hear the answers.

The sound of the Warp Pad firing up again behind them almost made Steven turn around, but the way Peridot was acting was far more concerning, so he kept his eyes locked onto her form. Even though they’d only really gotten to know each other for a few weeks- constantly chasing her across the planet didn’t really count to Steven as getting to know her- he was pretty sure that even just a day ago, Peridot would never allow herself to be treated like a baby.

Actually, did Peridot even know what a baby was? The Gems had apparently been clueless if what his dad said on his birthday was any indication, and they’d been on Earth for thousands of years, Peridot meanwhile had been here for a few months, and most of that was spent trying to evade them. Huh, that was another thing to teach Peridot.

Steven shook his head; he was getting distracted again. What mattered was that Peridot was clearly hurting, Bismuth had vanished and Twoie wouldn’t tell him why. It was almost like he didn’t trust him. Just like… the Gems. He was beginning to wonder if he had a problem.

“ _Twoie._ ” Steven almost jumped out of his skin- an expression that Lars had once used that he still didn’t completely get- at Garnet’s whisper coming from behind. It sounded off. It almost sounded like _Sugilite._

As both he and Twoie turned around to face her, Steven had to supress the urge to run off and hide. The look on her face, the pain, the sorrow and above all the rage. Combined with the fact she was missing her visor and Steven suddenly understood exactly why Peridot had been so willing to barricade herself within his bathroom, even though every attempt to locate any other exit had failed.

Twoie definitely felt the same way, given how he audibly gulped, “Yes, Garnet?” He asked, his voice going all weird like he was choking.

Garnet simply offered something she was clutching tight with both of her hands- so tightly in fact that Steven couldn’t get a good look at it, though the flash of pink between her fingers made him suspect it might be something belonging to his Mom. “Explain.” She demanded, her voice tight, like it was on the verge of breaking.

Twoie seemed to know what it was, as his face rapidly paled, and he seemed to clutch Peridot just a little more tightly. _That’s not fair!_ Steven thought, how come did Twoie get to keep secrets about his Mom like this, when he’d already freed Bismuth?

However, before he could say anything, Pearl came running up to them, looking concerned, “Garnet, what on Earth’s the matter? Where have you all been?”

Garnet kept her eyes locked onto Twoie, “Pearl, where’s Amethyst?” She asked, not even bothering to look at Pearl.

Steven felt his mouth fall open as he stared at Garnet in quiet shock and dawning horror. In all the time he’d known her, Garnet had never once asked a question, and it was only now that he knew the story of how Ruby and Sapphire first met that he understood why. It had been an oath to his Mom, and considering how much the Gems seemed to look up to her, breaking it meant that something was very wrong.

“Still sulking near the drill.” Pearl sighed, “Honestly, it’s like nothing I say will snap her out of it, she’s just sitting there, doing _nothing!_ ” She shook her head with resignation, but Steven noticed that she was moving just slightly more stiffly than usual, maybe she had noticed too.

Garnet nodded gravely, “Then we’ll have to fill her in later.”

“Fill her in later- Garnet, please tell me what’s going on!” Pearl begged; her voice shrill. Steven winced; Pearl didn’t normally act like this unless she was really freaking out. Like when Peridot first came to Earth, or when Amethyst had brought home an elephant.

Garnet said nothing, and unfurled her grip around the object she was holding, finally letting Steven see what it was. It was a bubble. One of his mother’s bubbles and therefore _his._

He took a step back in horror, and from the gasp that Pearl gave, he figured she was feeling much the same. Twoie just gazed at it sadly as Peridot all but retreated into his chest, curling up to make herself as small as possible.

The first time Steven had seen Gem Shards, they’d animated and ran off with his pants. Then he’d made the mistake of putting in Mr Fryman’s horror of a mascot, and ended up having to deal with _Frybo._ While horrifying, it had been for reason completely different from what those Shards really were, and even if he’d bothered to listen, Steven had a feeling that Pearl’s explanation would have been half-truths at best, like many other things in his life had been at the time.

The second time, when Pearl and Amethyst had accidently popped one of Mom’s old bubbles and let some Shards loose, Steven had been a bit too wrapped up in the idea of a Secret Team to give what they were much thought. Though the fact they’d taken the form of detached limbs endlessly crawling across the floor with no sense of direction should really have tipped him off.

Now, though as he stared at the shattered remains of Bismuth’s Gem, he could only curse his lack of interest in those Shards. He’d treated them like toys when as he was now only starting to realise as he gazed at the broken pieces of a Gem he’d just been talking to this morning, people had known them, perhaps loved them, and certainly lost them.

 _So, that’s where she went_ , Steven dimly realised, before immediately feeling disgusted with himself.

“Don’t you _dare_ try to deny it. This is one of your bubbles, I’d recognise it anywhere.” Garnet all but snarled- okay, this was getting a little intense now. Steven stepped back slightly, attracting Garnet’s attention, and causing her face to immediately soften as she saw how scared he was getting. “Don’t worry Steven, I’m not blaming either of you for what happened. I know you and therefore him too well to ever think either of you would do it. I just want answers.”

“So do I.” Pearl said resolutely, as tears started to drip down her face, “I need to know what happened.” She turned her to attention to the Gem that Twoie was holding in his arms, and her eyes narrowed through the tears, “Was it _her_ doing?!” She hissed out.

Steven’s eyes widened as the thought knocked around his head, Twoie had said that Peridot wasn’t the one being mean, or had he? He’d just said that Peridot wasn’t the one he was worried about, so did that mean he was worried about Peridot shattering Bismuth? Did that mean this happened the last time? Why was he so willing, no, _excited_ to work with her then?

“NO!” Twoie viciously denied, causing Steven’s attention to return to him. Was it just him or did Twoie look nervous with that sweat running down his face? “Or at least, not without her hand being forced first.” He looked down fondly at Peridot for a moment before he turned and handed her over to Steven, who almost dropped her, surprised at how light she was even for her size.

“Twoie?” He asked nervously, well aware that the Gems were also looking at his future self with notable concern, though never losing that look of anger and sorrow.

“I’m fine.” Twoie assured Steven, though his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. He sighed. “I’ll explain everything. You sure you want Steven to stay?” He asked Garnet, his thumb pointing at Steven as he did so.

Steven frowned, even he knew it was rude to point, so why didn’t his future self? And besides… “I’m staying.” He frowned, daring the others to refuse, “I want to find out what happened to Bismuth.”

Pearl opened her mouth, but a shake of Garnet’s head cut whatever off whatever she was about to say. “He stays.” Garnet declared, her three eyes still locked onto Twoie, “He knew Bismuth if only briefly. We can’t hide this from him.”

Twoie slowly nodded, and gave a pained expression to Steven. Why did even his Future Self try to hide things from him? Steven wasn’t a little kid anymore, even if he looked the part.

“Alright,” Twoie began, “But first I’m going to have to tell you what happened when I first freed Bismuth in _my_ time…”

* * *

“And so, I took Steven and Peridot back here, where Garnet confronted us, and well… this happened.” Pearl watched Twoie rub the back of his hand as he finished his story. At any other time, Pearl would have been worried for him, but right now her thoughts were elsewhere.

She couldn’t believe that Bismuth would do all that. To go against Rose’s wishes, her very philosophy like that. It was unthinkable. It was anathema to the very ideals that founded the Crystal Gems. And yet, it was so totally Bismuth. The weaponsmith who refused to just do whatever the Diamond Authority demanded.

Pearl didn’t want to admit it, not even to herself, but she’d always suspected that Bismuth would eventually challenge even Rose herself, that was just who she was. What she didn’t expect, no, what really made this so difficult to hear, no matter how much it ringed true, was Rose’s response.

Bubbling Bismuth after she attacked her was completely understandable given how unstable she’d become from the horrors of the Rebellion, if either of Twoie’s stories had any merit. What was less understandable was feeling the need to keep it a secret from the rest of them. From _her_.

It was just like with Lion, only somehow worse. At least with Lion, it had probably just been another Rose’s experiments with her powers. But this? Not only did Pearl feel betrayed, she felt outright robbed. Rose had hidden Bismuth’s gem in Lion’s mane, meaning Lion had been an extension of this secret and who knows what others Rose was hiding-

Pearl had to wonder, did Rose trust her to guard her darkest secret, or did she order her to secrecy because she didn’t?

Desperate to tear her mind from that unpleasant thought, Pearl scanned how the others were taking Twoie’s story. Steven’s reaction was expected, with gazing down at the prone form of- Pearl’s lip curled- Peridot he was holding with tears in his eyes. Doubtlessly he had been thoroughly disillusioned with the idea of Peridot of all Gems ever becoming his friend, though to be honest, Pearl felt he should have gotten that idea back when Peridot was controlling the Prime Kindergarten by remote.

And Garnet- Well, Garnet seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with herself.

Pearl watched worriedly as Garnet’s head jerked to the side, “It’s not their fault.” She whispered, before her head jerked in the other direction. “ _I know that.”_ She hissed in response, before jerking again, “It’s not our fault either.”

That was all it took for Garent’s form to suddenly go white as before their very eyes, she split off into two tinier forms. As colour returned to them, Pearl was greeted with the odd sight of the cold blue Sapphire glaring at red hot Ruby with tears running down her face, her hair still covering her single eye.

“How isn’t it, Ruby? Rose made us make that stupid oath and now Bismuth is _gone_!” Sapphire all but screamed, her voice breaking. “If we’d asked why Bismuth had been bubbled by Rose instead of just accepting it-”

“Come on, Sapphire.” Ruby pleaded, her body tensing as she tried desperately to calm her other half down, “We don’t know what would have happened, even with Future Vision. We just have to deal with what is.”

Sapphire was silent for a moment, “Of course, you’d say that. You’re a common _Ruby_.” She said sourly.

Ruby flinched at that, and it took every bit of willpower Pearl had not to cover her mouth. In all their years in knowing one another, as both Garnet and as an individual, Sapphire had never once expressed the sentiment common to Nobility on Homeworld. She’d been conscious enough to never do so. It was one of the reasons she and Bismuth could get along in the first place.

Sapphire seemed as horrified as everyone, covering her mouth as soon as she said it, “Ruby. I-” She took one look at Ruby before running off into the fields.

“Sapphire, wait!” Ruby shouted as she chased after her, tears filling her own eyes.

Pearl watched them go, a heavy feeling setting in her chest. Garnet had survived Corruption, Jasper, and Sardonyx, but Pearl wasn’t certain she could survive this. This wasn’t merely a fight. This was something more, this was the very foundation that Garnet was built from. To question the oath she made to Rose, would normally be unthinkable and a natural paradox, because how can you question an oath which was to never ask any more questions? But in times like this…

This wasn’t right. They couldn’t be in fighting at a time like this- they _shouldn’t be_ \- not when the Cluster could emerge at any moment. They needed… someone to blame.

Pearl summoned all of her anger at Bismuth’s, Rose’s betrayal and focused on the only proper target, the Gem-Shatterer in the Room.

“You never could let us have anything, could you?” Pearl glared at Peridot, who started to quake in Steven’s arms, fearful of her rage. Good. “First you take our Friend’s minds, then you tried to destroy our planet, and now _you’ve_ taken Bismuth and even Garnet from us too. You Homeworld Gems are all the same. Monsters each and every one of you.”

“Pearl.” Twoie said warningly, glaring at her, while Steven’s eyes went wide as he gazed up at her in… was that disgust? No, they clearly didn’t understand, she needed to give them some time to come to terms with the fact they were holding a murderer.

“I’ll be with Amethyst if either of you see sense. Discussing our next move.” She walked away from them, heading towards the drill, drowning out their cries of protest with her tears.

**Author's Note:**

> While the Writer of Templeschool had some very interesting ideas on how the Gems would react to the events of A Mistake Made is A Chance Lost, to be honest the late Season 2 Gems didn’t have their acts nearly as much together as the late Season 3 Gems and the more extreme circumstances don’t really help matters.


End file.
